Back to the Old School

Ever since I first watched the above video I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The guys at GCN posit that while modern mountain bikes are incredibly capable (they mention the Red Bull Rampage as an example of what is possible with the right rider), they also suggest that they now make the everyday trails that most of us ride pretty dull. So, while it is perhaps inevitable that we all want the latest, most capable bikes as used by the world’s top riders, the vast majority of us are simply ‘over-biked’ on the sort of stuff most of us regularly ride. This, quite literally, flattens any kind of challenge or thrill from riding. Their conclusions – for most people, most of the time, mountain biking has just got a bit boring.
 
Similar things have been said before, but it’s the next bit that really interests me. While they freely admit that we’re all grateful for modern niceties like disc brakes, the video puts forward a convincing case that retro mountain bikes, with their lighter weight, skinnier tyres and limited suspension travel, have the potential to result in a far more engaging and enjoyable ride on the sort of simple trails that most of us regularly ride than many of the their more modern ancestors. Fast forward 25 years and the closest thing to these classic mountain bikes is now a gravel bike, which they suggest has, in part, grown in popularity as a result of the disconnect that now exists between the capabilities of many modern mountain bikes and what most of them actually get used for. Essentially, gravel bikes take the best bits of retro mountain bikes and bring them up to date with modern technology.
 
With similar geometry numbers, only the minimum of suspension, low weight and relatively skinny tyres, both types of bike feel agile and lively, and can actually be ridden quickly without always having to rely on gravity for assistance. If you’ve read anything on my website, then you will already know that this is pretty much music to my ears. It was also a timely opportunity, combined with a long, wet winter with relatively little riding, to reconsider my set-up.
 
But before getting into that, one area where I would question their conclusions is in the geometry of gravel and retro mountain bikes. I still believe that handlebars need to be higher and that a rider benefits from being further behind the front axle when riding off-road, with more of their weight supported through their feet rather than their hands. Whilst I will admit that this results in some trade-off in terms of pedalling efficiency, I would argue that this is far outweighed by the payback in terms of handling and control, particularly at the limit of grip.
 
However, the upshot of all this is that I’ve decided to, once again, tinker with the set-up of the Full-Moto. My plan is to replace the current 2.6’’ tyres with something a bit slimmer (and possibly with skinwalls for the style points) to inject a bit more zip into the ride as well as providing even less margin for error in my line choices. In an attempt to keep the overall diameter of the wheels about the same I am also planning to switch the 650b rims for a pair of 29ers. Hopefully, I’ll be back shortly to present the physical manifestation of this thinking once I’ve found my spoke key.